1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for allowing non-human autonomous agents to participate in a social network and, more particularly, to a system and method for allowing non-human autonomous agents, such as vehicles, to participate in a social network that allows human participants of the network to contact the agents.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A growing community of individuals that use the Internet participate in one or more social networks that allow the participants of the network to interact with each other in a social manner and exchange personal information and otherwise. Examples of such social networks include, but are not limited to, Facebook™, Twitter™, Myspace™, etc., all well known to those skilled in the art. For these types of social networks, a particular user will typically go to the network's website, enter their email address, or other unique identifier, such as an internet protocol address (IP address), and create a profile for that email address that includes information about the user. The particular network goes through a validation process, typically by sending a message to the email address entered by the user to verify that it is authentic. Once the particular user is verified and creates a profile on the network, that user can now gain access to the particular features provided by the network, which include sending messages and interacting with other participants of the network.
These networks allow the participants to post information about themselves, some of which may be personal, such as photographs, telephone numbers, addresses, etc., and then selectively allow that information to be viewed by other participants on the network in a manner that is controlled by the particular participant. A particular user of the social network may post things on their particular profile page that is available to all of the users of the network to view, and may also provide private information that only those users that are selected by the participant can view. For example, family members and close friends of a particular participant may be allowed access to information that is highly personal, while other participants of the network may be selectively allowed access to more general information about the particular participant. This allows the participants of the network to communicate and socialize with each other in a manner that allows the various participants to meet and correspond with new people. To date, all of the participants of these types of social networks have been human participants.
OnStar™ provides a wireless communications tool for so equipped vehicles that allows members that subscribe to the service to receive by email various messages and information about their vehicle that has been telematically transmitted by the vehicle to an OnStar™ service center. The OnStar™ service center provides this wireless service in a manner that is well understood by those skilled in the art. Currently, an OnStar™ subscriber may elect to receive a monthly diagnostic and information report identifying certain vehicle conditions, such as engine and transmission diagnostics, emissions system diagnostics, air bag system diagnostics, stability control system diagnostics, oil life, cellular telephone minutes, etc. OnStar™ also offers a number of other features, including hands free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, automatic crash response, emergency services, crisis assist, remote door unlock, roadside assistance, remote horn and light activation, etc. These expanding features allow a subscriber to have more information about his or her vehicle and provide certain vehicle functions remotely.